In a move that shook the fast-food industry earlier this week, Burger King announced its official merger with Canadian coffee-and-doughnuts concept Tim Hortons. The new company, to be headquartered in Canada, will be the third-largest quick-service company in the world, with more than 18,000...

They say a picture paints a thousand words. But it can also tempt the appetites of millions of hungry customers, which is why quick-serve restaurants spend a great deal of time, money, and effort to ensure their menuboards and promotional materials have images that resonate with their customers....

First, Taco Bell turned the burrito on its side with the launch of a new breakfast menu, and now, traditional morning daypart chains Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks are looking to extend their bite to the much-larger lunch slice. Although Dunkin’ has been after the coffee-drinking market that makes up...

Every franchisee has the opportunity to bring specialized business savvy to its quick-service units, but it’s rare that a single operator affects the entire system.
That’s exactly what Pennsylvania-based Colleen and Bret Wagner did when they introduced their proprietary software system to the...

Bread may be the staff of life, but it’s really pretty basic: flour, water, yeast, and salt, or some sort of substitute for the latter two. However, the way these items are combined, as well as other ingredients that are added, can make a huge difference in taste and texture, as quick-service...

The humble grilled cheese sandwich takes center stage at a California-based fast-casual restaurant known as The Melt. And the gooey sandwiches go on tour, too, in four converted school buses that grilled-cheese aficionados can book for weddings, parties, and concerts, or follow to festivals and...

I’ve worked in restaurants my whole life, and my first restaurant job was as a waitress at an old-fashioned ice cream parlor when I was 16. After that, I worked in various restaurants, even at the Hyatt Maui, before I got into marketing and advertising. I stayed in it mostly because I think it’s...

The back-to-school season signals a return to more regular meal routines for families, and quick-service and fast-casual restaurants are working hard to be a part of those routines. Many limited-service brands are entrenching themselves in and around elementary schools, high schools, and the...

Russo’s New York Pizzeria, the U.S.-based fast-casual pizzeria concept best known for its authentic cuisine and brick-oven pizzas, plans to significantly enhance the brand’s footprint in France and throughout Europe.

Demonstrating the excitement around the brand, Russo’s kicked off 2015...

Giving customers a taste of the past, Whataburger and H-E-B introduces Whataburger's new Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips. Whataburger originally offered customers potato chips when the first restaurant opened in 1950, and continued serving them until introducing french fries to the menu in 1962. To...

Blaze Pizza is cooking up a historical celebration this Pi Day by celebrating the once-in-a-lifetime occurrence when the first five digits of pi, 3.1415, correspond with this year’s full date, 3/14/15. Louisville’s Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza invites guests to build their own artisanal pizza “pi” on...

Local restaurant and nightlife group Boston Nightlife Ventures announced that a new flagship location of Griddler’s Burgers and Dogs at 134 Boylston St. will open Monday, March 9. The new location, which serves as the prototype for the growing Griddler’s brand, features a vibrant new look and...

McDonald's Corporation announced that global comparable sales decreased 1.7 percent in February. Performance by segment was as follows: U.S. down 4.0 percent; Europe up 0.7 percent; and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa down 4.4 percent.

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) reached a new milestone by issuing its 6 millionth ServSafe certification, underscoring its place as the number-one food safety training program in the U.S. and abroad.

Friendly’s manager Errin Davis, who started her career as a server in 1999,...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

Like much of the rest of the economy, the 2008 economic meltdown brought a massive slow-down to the quick-service franchise industry. The combination of tightfisted money lenders and general economic uncertainty put franchise businesses in a near impossible position when it came to accessing...

Having started as a sandwich maker with Subway when he was 18 years old, Gurpreet Singh has spent nearly half his life in the quick-service industry. Now a Checkers franchisee, Singh has spent time in every quick-serve job imaginable: line worker, manager, general manager, and, today, franchisee....

What can I possibly tell you about potatoes, dear quick-serve industry professional, that you don’t already know? It’s not as though you’re unacquainted with America’s favorite starch. You may even know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest food crop, trailing behind only rice, corn, and wheat,...

What can I possibly tell you about potatoes, dear quick-serve industry professional, that you don’t already know? It’s not as though you’re unacquainted with America’s favorite starch. You may even know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest food crop, trailing behind only rice, corn, and wheat,...